


Wet Whiskers

by antigrav_vector



Series: (R)BB fics - all pairings [4]
Category: Avengers (Comics), Captain America (Comics), Iron Man (Comic), Marvel
Genre: Animal Transformation, Cap_Ironman Reverse Bang Challenge 2016, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Identity Porn, Identity Reveal, M/M, Magic, Silver Age
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 13:46:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6706699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antigrav_vector/pseuds/antigrav_vector
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Iron Man is hit by a stray spell and latches onto Steve for the duration... well. Things happen.</p><p>Mostly fluff. Fluff happens.</p><p>And some identity porn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wet Whiskers

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Suomi available: [Märät viiksikarvat](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6851875) by Anonymous 



> With thanks to my lovely beta reader: [lil_1337](http://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337).
> 
> Don't forget to go take a gander at the lovely art that the talented [phoenixmetaphor](http://phoenixmetaphor.tumblr.com/) drew for this fic!
> 
>  
> 
> [Link to art on tumblr](http://phoenixmetaphor.tumblr.com/post/143683039187/my-art-for-the-cap-im-rbb-i-worked-with-the)  
> [Link to art on AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6712939)

Steve glanced up as Iron Man flew past over his head with a roar of repulsors and did his best to pin down the odd bat-like creatures Loki was sending at them. Working to distract them from pursuing the rest of the team.

"Keep at it, Iron Man," Jan called, sounding gleeful, "that seems to be working."

Steve couldn't help the amused tone in his voice as he put in, "Wasp, see if you can't shrink down and flank him. Giant Man and I'll keep his attention."

Thor, intent on pursuing his brother, didn't bother to reply verbally, but his continued attempts to use his superior strength to keep Loki in one place were enough for Steve.

Things continued to go in their favor for a few seconds that seemed to stretch; Steve caught all the attacks from the bat-things that got past Iron Man on his shield and put each one of them out of commission; Hank did much the same, catching them in his hands and stuffing them into a cloth bag that he'd managed to make grow along with him; Wasp got into position behind Loki without being detected…

But then, just as Wasp was within range to strike at their opponent, everything went sideways.

"Oh," Loki crowed triumphantly, and raised his hands, green light wreathing them and seeming to twine around them rather like a cat would, "so the mighty Avengers think they can outfox the Trickster?" The light intensified, seeming to take on a golden tinge, and Steve had to look away lest his vision get ruined by the brightness. Loki went on, ignoring him and sneering audibly. "Think hard about the consequences of your actions," he said, and turned toward Steve, "for they will not be avoided."

He tensed, bringing his shield up, and was just in time. The light bounced off, deflected.

And hit Iron Man, who happened to be in just the wrong place at the wrong moment.

As Loki vanished from sight, Iron Man fell out of the sky with a loud pained cry and a crash.

Steve wasn't sure what he said, but he knew he shouted something. He was at Iron Man's side in a bare moment, but he hesitated, unsure what to do. Their teammate had kept his identity a secret, even from them, for a few years now, and all of them respected that. The rest of them had revealed their identities to each other, with the understanding that the information wouldn't go any farther than their immediate circle. Iron Man was the only one of them who still insisted on keeping his identity secret, stubborn man that he was.

It really didn't help the situation that Steve was pretty sure he had a hell of a crush on whoever was inside. If anything, that was only making this situation more distressing. And now, Steve was torn between the conflicting wishes to check on him and respect his desire not to have his identity made public. Not to mention his guilt at having tagged Iron Man.

"Cap! Is he alright?" Wasp, landing beside the armour's helmet, looked as distraught as he'd ever seen her, and Steve almost wished she were her full size so he could pull her into a hug. Thor landed beside him, having apparently deemed checking on a fallen teammate more important than fruitlessly chasing after Loki.

Steve's hands landed on the chestplate of the armour. "I can't tell. Can you hear anything? His breathing? The arc reactor's gone out!"

He was trying not to let his breathing go shallow, feeling the fear fizzing through him. He might not know much about technology, but seeing the arc reactor go out was a Bad Sign. He'd never seen it do that before in all the years he'd been working with Iron Man. Every so often, he'd seen it dim after a battle, as though low on power, and he'd made damn sure to keep an eye on Iron Man every time that happened, but this was new. And very worrying.

Hank settled on his haunches next to them, squirming bag of bat-things still held absently in his left hand. "We should get him out of that armour, as soon as possible," he put in. "And preferably somewhere a little more private, like the mansion."

Forcing himself to shake off his panicky paralysis, Steve nodded and stood. "Good idea. Could you take him, Thor?"

"Wait!" Jan shouted, "wait a moment. Do you hear that?"

Steve paused, stopped in his tracks by the urgency in her tone. "What do you hear, Wasp?"

"I… I don't know? You'll probably think I'm crazy, but it sounded like a meow." Jan listened again for a moment. "I wouldn't blame you if you did," she added. " _I_ think I'm crazy."

Thor scowled. "Nay, fair Wasp," he rumbled. "Thou'rt not crazy. My brother has cast such magic before. Come, let us get the armour on its feet and see what it is we must remedy."

Steve wasn't sure he believed it, but Thor seemed certain enough to move mountains. A trifle reluctantly, he shifted his weight into a crouch and hooked his hands around the undersides of the armour's shoulders. There was a suspicious scrabbling sound as he lifted the armour slowly into a standing position, and Steve allowed himself the flicker of hope that Thor was correct after all.

Once the armour was standing, every joint apparently following the whims of gravity, Thor took hold of one of its shoulders, keeping it steady. "Open the faceplate, Captain," he suggested, an angry rumble in his voice, "and take our comrade home. I shall see to it that the armour is returned to the mansion."

Swallowing back his apprehension, Steve reached up to take the armour's helmet into his hands, searching for any mechanical releases. After a moment, his fingers caught on a pair of tiny latches, just below the armour's jaw, one on either side. He pressed down on them and felt them give with a little 'click', but hesitated again before he reached for the faceplate and lifted.

The sight that met his eyes was a shock, even after Jan's warning.

There, bracing its paws against the jaw and back of the helmet for balance, was a tiny black ball of fur. It caught Steve's eyes with its own, and seemed to stare deep into the heart of him for a moment, then rearranged itself to sit on the jaw of the helmet and reached out to bat at his nose with a tiny paw.

It made Steve realise with a jolt that he'd leaned in close, and pulled an incredulous giggle out of Jan.

"Oh, just look at _you_ ," she cooed. "Isn't he the sweetest little thing, Cap?"

Steve couldn't find the words to reply, though he did take the opportunity to peel off his right glove. The kitten batted at his nose again, and Steve straightened up, reaching out to gather the little thing up in his bare hand and tuck it against his side. No, Steve corrected himself, 'him'. He knew Iron Man was male, and doubted that being turned into a kitten had caused his gender to change. That would have made no sense, even by the very loose rules that governed magic.

Jan was right though. The kitten _was_ adorable.

It was making Steve hope, distantly, that that meant Iron Man was just as handsome.

Thor made an amused sound. "Come my friends. Let us go home. We must plan and perhaps feed Iron Man."

Steve nodded. "Right. Come on, team."

It wasn't a long walk back, so all of them but Thor -- who tucked the armour under his arm and took to the air -- opted to make the trip on foot. It wasn't worth dealing with the hassle of the subway or hailing a cab to travel a few blocks.

When they trooped in through the door, Jarvis appeared to greet them, as usual. "I see today's outing has been a success," he stated drily, taking in their slightly battered and bedraggled appearances. The team usually looked far more worn down after a defeat, however temporary.

Steve made a face. "Yes and no."

Jarvis raised an eloquent eyebrow at him, but didn't speak, waiting him out.

Steve coaxed the kitten away from his side, and showed him to Jarvis. "Iron Man had a bit of an... accident?"

"Oh dear." Jarvis looked slightly stunned, which probably meant he was pole-axed and too good to show it. "He is a handsome little devil, though, isn't he. Bring him into the kitchen. Something tells me he's hungry."

Jan snorted. "So are the rest of us."

Thor laughed. "No doubt our faithful Mr. Jarvis has already planned for that," he told her, trying in vain for a solemn tone.

Hank rolled his eyes. "Now that the initial panic is over, I'm going to go peel my costume off and have a shower. I doubt that my scientific knowledge will help, but I can try it anyway."

Steve nodded. "Go get cleaned up. We'll talk about that more after we eat, and get Iron Man settled in."

Jan put her hand on his elbow to get his attention. "Don't look now," she said, "but I'm pretty sure he already is."

He glanced over, and, sure enough, Jarvis had produced some small bits of fresh fish from somewhere, and was placing them in front of the little black kitten on a small white plate. Quite pleased by the offering, the kitten was purring loudly as he ate, and Steve felt something at the core of him relax. Some unnoticed tension unwinding.

Straightening his spine and squaring his shoulders, Steve stretched, going up on his toes, and held the pose until he felt the rest of the stress-induced tension leave his neck. "I'd say Hank had the right idea. I'm going to do the same." He turned to Tony's butler, and smiled. "Thanks, Jarvis."

"All in a day's work," came the reply, and Steve had to acknowledge the truth of that. Life as an Avenger was bizarre at best, and dangerous to life and limb at worst. Life in proximity to the team was no better. Tony had expressed sentiments to that effect before, and so had Iron Man.

Both Tony and his bodyguard were quite fond of the butler.

And Steve had to say he agreed. The man was worth his weight in gold for his sheer unflappable competence and resourcefulness, and one of the kindest men Steve knew, to boot.

Shaking his head at his own thoughts, Steve left the kitchen.

Maybe a shower would help him focus his attention.

He did feel a lot better once he was clean, and Steve absently wrapped a towel around his waist as he left the bathroom. When he stepped back out into his room for some clean clothes to wear, Steve stumbled and nearly fell, tripping over the kitten and only just managing to catch himself on the door jamb. Iron Man had somehow gotten in and waited for him in front of the bathroom door, catching him flat footed. 

Yowling and very offended, the little black kitten leapt onto his bed and wormed its way under his pillow, settling in to glare at him.

It was actually quite unsettling.

In this form, Iron Man had one hell of a piercing stare. And the thing was... Well, being nearly naked around Iron Man was not exactly a new thing -- all of the team except Iron Man and Thor had had their costumes all but demolished in a fight before. But this was different somehow, and he needed to stop thinking about the fact that he was in a room with Iron Man and showing off almost every inch of his body or he'd start blushing.

What he needed (desperately) was a pair of pants.

Without turning his back on the bed, his towel in front of him, Steve reached out to open his dresser without taking a single step.

The kitten under his pillow eyed him like it wanted to pounce.

When he pulled the first pants he found out of the drawer, Iron Man made a disgruntled sound and pulled his head back.

Taking the opportunity to pull his pants on while he was unsupervised, Steve breathed a mental sigh of relief that the apparent stand-off was over. It made no real logical sense that he was reacting like this, but he couldn't help it. The sure knowledge that his teammate was watching him dress after his shower was making him feel incredibly awkward.

He had no idea whether Iron Man would even remember any of this later, but Steve had to assume he would, for lack of intel to the contrary.

That thought in mind, he quickly pulled on a t-shirt as well, and grabbed a pair of socks.

Feeling miles better now that he was fit for polite company, Steve closed the dresser drawer again and took the two steps over to his bed, settling carefully on the edge. It wasn't long until a pink nose and a pair of bright green eyes were poking back out from under the pillow.

Steve didn't move. Didn't speak. Just carefully ignored him in favor of slowly putting on his socks one by one, keeping his eyes down. He'd never had a cat, but Steve definitely knew how to deal with skittish people. He was fairly sure the comparison wasn't that far off the mark, either, given that this was no ordinary cat.

Sure enough, by the time he had pulled on the first sock, he felt a light pressure against his hip. When he uncrossed his legs and shifted to pull his other foot up onto the bed, a cold nose pressed against the skin his t-shirt revealed, and he jumped, only barely managing to bite back the surprised sound that would usually have accompanied the twitch.

It sent the kitten scurrying for cover again, but he was quicker to come back into the open this time.

"That's it," he grinned, "come on out."

A minute or so later, with Iron Man tucked comfortably into the crook of his arm, Steve was making his way back down the stairs to the mansion's dining room. He could see the kitten's head come up, scenting the air, as they came into range of the room. The rich smell of chicken and vegetables was permeating the area around the dining room, and doubtless tantalising them both.

Hell, Steve suspected that had he not eaten earlier, Iron Man would have made a break for it, and abandoned his spot, attached to Steve like a little warm black burr, in favor of trying to beg or steal something to gnaw on.

Jan and Hank were already seated at the large round table Tony favored, and animatedly discussing the problem of how to reverse the spell, while Jarvis watched them, his expression carefully neutral. Jan and Hank had plates set out for them. One more was waiting for him, and Steve suspected the last was missing only because Jarvis was waiting for Thor to appear first. They'd learned that apparently it was a sign of respect to place a plate before an Asgardian; whether it contained food or not, it implied hospitality was offered.

"Come on, Hank," Jan was saying, "we can't rely on Thor to beat the answer out of his brother, no matter how tempting the idea might be."

"We can't just sit around, either, though, Jan." Hank looked -- and sounded -- frustrated. "I don't even have to do more than look at Iron Man to know my scientific expertise is likely to get us exactly nowhere."

The argument made Iron Man tense in his arms, and Steve winced when sharp claws dug into the sensitive skin of his inner arm. Luckily, Steve's entrance shut them both up for a beat, though it wasn't long before they simply pulled him into the argument.

"What do you think, Steve?" Jan prompted him, tone just _slightly_ pointed.

Steve walked over to his chair and settled himself comfortably in it before he replied, his free hand automatically coming up to rub at the spot behind Iron Man's ears that he enjoyed so much. Thankfully Iron Man relaxed again, curling himself into a tighter ball and licking at the scratches he'd left as if to soothe them. It took some effort not to read apology into the action. Refocusing his attention, Steve replied. "I think we should try it anyway. It really can't hurt. But Hank's right. We'd probably have better luck talking to one of the magic users we know."

Jan made a face. "Not Dr. Strange. He's such an ass."

Hank snorted. "He's no worse than our Tony, and you like him just fine."

Thankfully, that was when Thor entered the room, looking like he'd showered rather hastily before coming down to join them. "Forgive my tardiness, my friends," he said, "let us eat. The repast Mr. Jarvis has prepared smells exceptional."

Jarvis cracked a slight smile on hearing that, and set the plate he'd had prepared on the table in front of Thor. "I hope it lives up to expectations," he said, deadpan, and bowed out of the room.

The topic was shelved while they ate, as was the norm. They all preferred not to discuss 'work' during their meals, and Steve could appreciate that. It tended to mean any disagreements happened after they'd eaten and taken the edge off of any irritations.

Usually, though, there was small talk about whatever Jan had come up with for her clothing line this time, or Hank's latest discovery. Or, on occasion, Iron Man or Tony would appear to join them, and talk about whatever technical innovation was currently being advertised as Stark Industries' next gadget.

That wasn't the case today, as they all ate in silence, too wrapped up in their thoughts to say much. Steve occasionally offered the kitten little bites of chicken that were daintily accepted.

It wasn't long before they'd cleared their plates, though, and when they all sat back in their chairs, their eyes met.

"So," Hank broke the silence. "Whose turn is it to deal with Strange?"

"Not mine!" Jan said quickly.

"I did it last time," Hank put in, sounding like he was glad he wouldn't be up for it this time.

Steve exchanged a look with Thor.

"If you wish, I shall take this on, Captain," Thor rumbled, a note of weariness in his voice that Steve rarely heard there. "It is only meet that I should, since 'twas Loki's spell that did the damage." 

"That doesn't make it your fault, Thor," Steve replied. "And we all want Iron Man back to normal."

"Even so, I feel responsible," came the predictable reply.

"By all means, then," Steve gave in. "If it helps you feel better about things, I won't stand in your way."

"Thank you, my friend." Thor stood, and strode into the kitchen for the phone, his body language radiating purpose and determination.

Steve had no doubt that Thor would find a way to get Dr. Strange to the mansion, yesterday.

The three of them sat in mostly comfortable silence in the dining room while Thor spoke to -- presumably Dr. Strange's assistant, Wong -- about the situation. Steve leaned back in his seat and settled Iron Man more comfortably in the crook of his arm, his free hand automatically coming back up to pet the kitten, which happily pressed closer to him and purred loudly.

Jan eyed him, looking like she wanted to say something she knew would break the moment but didn't quite dare. 

Hank pretty obviously bit back a laugh, then stood and excused himself. "I'll be in my lab if anyone needs anything. Steve, if you could bring him by a little later?"

"No promises," Steve quipped back, "but I'll see what I can do."

Jan watched him for another few seconds, then gave in. "You know, Cap, the two of you are sickeningly cute together."

Not sure what that meant, exactly, Steve shrugged with his free shoulder so as not to dislodge the kitten. "Thanks? I think?" He groped after something else to add, some way of asking what the hell she was talking about, without giving away how clueless he was. That was the moment Thor picked to re-enter the room, looking slightly irritated, saving Steve from having to find something coherent to say. Gratefully, Steve seized on the distraction. "What news, Thor?"

"Dr. Strange is not currently available," Thor answered. "He will return from his travels as soon as he can, but the time of his return is not fixed."

Jan made a face. "Typical."

"That's alright, Thor. I'm pretty sure we can survive a day or two of this," Steve tried to console him.

Thor made an amused sound. "I suspect it is you who will need to survive this, my friend," he replied.

Jan giggled. "That doesn't look like it'll be much of a hardship for either of them, the way Steve's spoiling Iron Man rotten already."

It wasn't like that; for all that he knew appearances were deceptive, Steve fought not to blush at the implications in her tone. He mostly succeeded. "Did Wong give you an estimate of how long it would be?"

Thor smirked at him, knowingly. "He was not certain enough to give a proper estimate; he said that Dr. Strange might appear at any point in the next three days, and that he would be certain to let him know of our quandary."

The four of them scattered, after that. Well. The three of them. Iron Man chose to stick to Steve, digging his little claws into Steve's pants, and leaving behind pinpricks of pain that quickly disappeared, when Steve tried to set him down on the floor.

Giving in, Steve carried him along as he brought his plate into the kitchen and then retreated to his room. Somehow it felt a lot more natural to think about having his teammate in his room with him, this time. 

"Stay there." He demanded, as he set the kitten down on his pillow. Steve gave it a stern look until it obediently curled up and gave him what seemed like a sarcastic glare and possibly a grumble.

Satisfied, Steve rummaged around his desk drawer until he came up with a set of pencils in different hardnesses and a pad of sketch paper, then settled himself on the side of the bed Iron Man wasn't occupying.

The moment he opened the sketchbook, a pair of paws was resting high on his thigh and a curious nose appeared under his forearm, watching. Steve laughed.

"Okay, okay," he said, leaning back against the wall and his headboard, "come here."

He gathered up Iron Man, and deposited him on his right shoulder where he could watch and not be in danger of getting an elbow to the face if Steve forgot he was there. He took a moment to think about his subject matter, composing the sketch in his mind, then began working, setting the outlines very lightly. It didn't take long for a rough sketch of the kitten's debut to appear; Steve had decided on drawing Iron Man's armour from the shoulders up, with the kitten perched primly on the lower jaw of the helmet.

Steve thought he heard an amused huff as he worked, but the sound didn't properly register; he was focused on his drawing rather than his surroundings.

Iron Man didn't move until the sketch was finished, complete with lines and shading, purring happily and occasionally rubbing against the side of Steve's neck. It was cute enough to almost make Steve wish they could stay like this forever.

He'd always known Iron Man liked his company. He'd just never been quite this obvious about it, preferring to change the subject anytime it came up.

This was nice, though.

Steve carefully cleaned up his supplies and set them aside on his nightstand, then carefully peeled Iron Man off his shoulder so he could stretch.

Iron Man took the opportunity to disappear into Steve's bathroom, and Steve suspected he knew what that meant. Shaking his head in amusement, he quickly rooted around in his dresser for a pair of pyjamas. He normally just slept in his boxers but he had a suspicion that Iron Man would just blithely curl up next to him, and that called for a trifle more modesty.

If only so that he felt less self-conscious.

He was dressed for bed in under ten seconds, and was waiting for Iron Man to reappear when he heard a splash and a very offended yowl.

"Iron Man?" Steve was on his feet immediately, and peering in through the bathroom door before he thought about it.

The sight that met his eyes had him biting his lip to keep from laughing, knowing it would not be received well. The kitten had apparently tried to use the toilet (successfully), and then managed to slip and fall in. Which left him staring mournfully up at Steve, looking like a drowned rat, from inside the toilet bowl.

He could have gotten out, Steve was sure, and was probably pouting.

"Alright." Resigning himself to bathing the kitten, Steve leaned down to fish him out. "Come here, you. You need a bath."

He put the little black kitten down in the sink and started the water running, letting it warm while he flushed the toilet and grabbed for his shampoo. This was distinctly not how he had pictured spending the next fifteen minutes, but luckily he was adaptable. Iron Man meowed at him, disconsolately.

"I know," Steve replied, humouring him. "That wasn't fun. But it's happened, and we're going to get you clean, and then I'm going to bed."

Iron Man silently put up with being carefully shampooed twice and then dried off as best Steve could manage without a hair dryer. He even managed to do it more or less gracefully. Steve was grateful not to be on the receiving end of Iron Man's sharp little claws yet again.

The moment Steve set the kitten back down on the floor, he was off like a shot, bounding out of the bathroom. He was sure Iron Man was searching for a place to ride out the embarrassment.

Mentally shrugging, Steve chose not to worry about it. He took his time washing his hands and brushing his teeth, then settled himself in his bed and closed his eyes.

Either Iron Man would be back, or he wouldn't.

Steve was asleep before he found out which it would be.

He slept soundly, and woke to the unaccustomed sensation of kitten fur up his nose. Reaching up and gingerly feeling around his face without opening his eyes, Steve determined that it was the kitten's tail that had somehow found its way almost up his nose. Gently pulling it back and away from his face, Steve realised how it had gotten there. Iron Man had curled himself up into a neat little ball in the curve of his neck, and was still happily snoozing.

The knowledge brought a smile to Steve's face that he knew would have looked distinctly sappy to anyone else, had they been around to see it.

He was kind of glad they weren't. Jan, in particular, would have given him that Look she had that said he was being an idiot over something. Or, in this case, some _one_. And it would have struck as true as any blow she'd ever landed on the battlefield.

Steve bit back a sigh.

He'd been falling for Iron Man for months, bit by bit. It was true. But unless Iron Man chose to reveal his identity _and_ was both unattached and interested, that was going strictly nowhere.

Regardless of what Jan thought, or Steve himself might want.

Giving in, needing to escape the thoughts for a while, Steve sat up, then stood and stretched.

Iron Man followed suit, looking adorably groggy, and grumbled at him. It was a plaintive little _mrrp_ , and somehow almost convinced Steve to stay. He glanced at the clock and shrugged. He was a little early, but it was almost time for him to go for his morning run. "Sorry," he said with a shrug, "but I'm going out for a run. Stay and sleep a bit more, if you want."

By the time he'd grabbed his running clothes, ducked into his bathroom to dress, and ducked back out, Iron Man was fast asleep again, curled in the center of Steve's pillow.

Steve found himself wishing for a camera.

He'd draw it out later, he decided.

For now, he needed to get away from the tangle of thoughts that was trying its best to tie him into corresponding knots.

Potentially two more days of this?

Steve wasn't sure how well he'd cope.

Shaking the sudden tension back out of his shoulders and arms, he jogged down the stairs and outside, then did his best _not_ to think for a while.

He even mostly succeeded, thankfully. By the time he got back to the mansion, he felt a lot better. More settled in his skin, and less like he was about to come right out of it at the least provocation.

Entering through the front door was like being suddenly enveloped in chaos.

Jan was chasing after Iron Man, in her Wasp form, and he was doing his level best not to get caught. Iron Man, Steve noted, was damned good at all manner of evasive maneuvers, and always seemed to find a corner to turn where she lost some time or couldn't quite follow at the speeds he could achieve. They were about the same size, this way, and Jan was taking full advantage of that.

After a moment of watching, he determined it to be a game of tag; Jan was giggling like a loon, and Iron Man seemed to be having the time of his life. Tail held high and the tip curled forward just so, his ears pricked forward, eager.

Steve watched for a full thirty seconds before Jan eventually caught Iron Man around his waist, almost tackling him bodily, and yelled "gotcha!"

When she looked up, her focus widening again, and noticed Steve, she grinned, unabashed. "Hi Cap," she said, "fancy seeing you here."

"Right," he agreed, trying to keep the laughter out of his tone. "Fancy that."

Before the discussion could progress any farther, Thor strolled in, looking slightly concerned. "Captain," he asked, "I thought perhaps thou might know: has Mr. Stark taken off for parts unknown to deal with some manner of business? I had intended to inform him as to the state of his bodyguard, but could not find him."

It wasn't unusual for Tony to take off without warning; every so often he had some manner of emergency meeting overseas to deal with, or a conference to attend, or a speech to give somewhere or other. Steve thought it somewhat unsafe to go on such trips without Iron Man with him to assist, but Tony insisted that Iron Man should stay in New York to help them with whatever crisis they had going on at the time. And there usually was one; a drawn out fight of some kind, a mystery to solve, or who-knew-what strange creatures trying to eat the Empire State Building. Steve still wasn't sure he believed it, but that had actually happened.

Steve shrugged. "He didn't say anything to me, but you know he leaves without telling us sometimes."

Thor looked unconvinced, but nodded, acknowledging the point. "You speak truly, Captain, but something about this situation does not feel quite right."

Naturally, that was the moment Dr. Strange chose to appear in a cloud of pink dust that disappeared without a trace. "Captain," he greeted Steve then turned to the others, "Thor. Wasp. I had heard that you requested my assistance on an issue of a magical nature."

"We did," Steve nodded. "Iron Man got hit by a stray spell in our last fight, and turned into a kitten."

Sometimes Steve really had to wonder what the heck had happened to him in his life that had made it possible for him to say a sentence like that without blinking. He refocused his attention when Jan shifted back to human size and set to work coaxing Iron Man out of his hiding spot under the sofa in the foyer. "We wanted to ask for any insights you might be able to give us into how to break the spell," he added, after a beat when Dr. Strange said nothing.

"That certainly falls within my purview," Strange replied, watching curiously as Jan finally succeeded in her aim and stood with a little ball of black fur in her arms.

"He's adorable this way," she put in, "but we'd kind of like our Shellhead back."

With a nod, Strange made a complex gesture over Iron Man and smirked. "As I thought. A low level shape transformation enchantment. It was never meant to last for more than a few days, but I will break it now, for everyone's sake. For those not used to such changes, it can be quite disorienting and frightening."

Steve wasn't convinced of the truth of that, given that Iron Man had actually been very calm and surprisingly well-adjusted to suddenly being a cat. But he knew better than to voice the thought.

"Thank you," he said instead. "We appreciate you taking the time to help us with this."

"It's no more than you and your team have done for me over the course of our association," Strange said, tone lofty and magnanimous enough that Steve had to bite back a sarcastic quip.

Picking up Iron Man and depositing him on the sofa, Strange chanted a few words that sounded like pure nonsense to Steve and then--

\-- and then Tony Stark was sitting there instead, in the nude save for the chestplate of the Iron Man armour.

Blushing and grabbing for a throw pillow to cover himself, Tony smiled wanly. "Um. Hi?"

Steve knew he was staring, and barely noticed Strange's departure, but he couldn't seem to help himself. Suddenly a lot of things he'd puzzled over for years made sense, and he wanted to kick himself for not seeing the obvious.

Tony Stark was Iron Man.

He was also currently clearly embarrassed and unsure of himself.

Jan resolved some of the tension by bodily tackling him again, this time bearing him down to sprawl on the sofa. Tony tipped over onto his back with a surprised grunt, and a whine. "Jan! What--"

"You, hush!" Jan scolded him, even as she hugged him tightly. "You kept this a secret from me for _how_ many years? You _so_ do not get to whine at me! And don't even start; I can see you guilt tripping yourself already."

Thor nodded. "We are not angry," he rumbled, "but I, for one, am wondering why thou didst feel it best not to tell us."

Tony winced.

Steve could tell that he was caught off guard by the near non-response to his unmasking. It was like he'd expected a row or a string of insults. Deciding to put in his own two cents, Steve added, "I can't say that I'm all that happy that your hand was forced, but I see no reason to kick up a fuss about this."

Tony, still pinned under Jan, made an unhappy sound, and tried to wriggle free.

Jan let him.

Once he was on his feet, Tony made a break for the stairs. Steve couldn't help staring at his back and legs as he hurriedly retreated and thinking dazedly that Iron Man was definitely handsome under the mask he wore. In nearly the same moment, Hank came in and took a long look at them. "What the hell did I miss?" he demanded.

Thor shrugged and let Steve answer. Steve watched the stairs and said, "Dr. Strange stopped by, broke the spell on Iron Man, and left again."

Hank raised an eyebrow at him. "So why do you look like someone stomped on your favourite helmet and crushed it?"

Jan snorted, stepping over to stand next to Hank as she replied. "Turns out our Shellhead is none other than Tony Stark."

"What!" Hank looked stunned. "But he-- oh. Oh, that makes a lot of sense, actually."

Deciding he'd hesitated long enough, Steve straightened his spine and squared his shoulders. He had a genius to track down. "Something tells me I ought to find Tony and talk to him."

Jan grinned broadly. "By the way, when are the two of you finally going to admit to the rest of us that the two of you're dating? I've seen how you stare at him when you think none of us are looking. Sure, he was always in uniform, but it's not like Tony's hard on the eyes even when he's covered up like that," she teased.

Steve could feel the blush rising and flushing his skin with warmth from his neck to his ears. "We're not dating!"

Thor gave him a sardonic look. "Then you are in serious need of someone to point out to you that you are."

Jan nodded. "All those times he's specially made time for you despite all the demands Stark Enterprises and being an Avenger put on him? The times he's tracked you down in the library when you were having nightmares? Played chess with you until all hours of the morning? Steve, he took you ice skating last Christmas."

Well.

Steve blinked. It seemed that Tony was _very_ good at hiding the obvious in plain sight. Huh.

With a nod to the others, he turned and headed for Tony's workshop; he was almost guaranteed to have holed up in there. "Right. I'll see you at dinner," he offered as he left, a kind of lightness filling him as he walked until he felt like he might float six inches above the floor.

As he approached the workshop door, tightly closed but not locked, Steve forced his silly smile away as much as possible. Tony had been very affectionate as a kitten, and probably assumed he couldn't cuddle with Steve anymore now that he was back to normal. That was as far from correct as it could be, and Steve intended to make his stance on the matter clear.

It had taken them a while to get here, and would have taken longer still without intervention. Steve could admit that to himself. But, though he would grant that Jan and Thor had helped them along, Steve was fairly sure they would have figured it out on their own at some point.

This was definitely better though.

He opened the door and stepped through, looking around the space. Tony was standing in front of his main workstation, back to the door, and his shoulders had come up immediately, the moment he heard the door open. He'd found a pair of worn jeans to put on, and a baggy sweater that had seen far better days, judging by the holes worn through it. It was a far cry from the normally pristine image Tony liked to project.

Odds were good, Steve decided, that these were important for sentimental reasons which were Not Talked About. That was Tony Stark all over.

Setting the thoughts aside, Steve stopped in the open area behind Tony and waited, not saying a word.

Without turning to face him, Tony grumbled, "what do you want, Steve?"

"I want you to turn around and talk to me." Steve dared to take a step forward. Knowing that Tony felt the same helped a lot.

Steve could see Tony steel himself before he did so. It was impressive, the way he kept his expression almost calm, but that was about as far from what Steve wanted as it could be. "Thor and Jan clued me in to something," he started, and took another step forward.

"And what's that?" Tony didn't budge, taking a metaphorical stand, as it were. Steve saw him swallow nervously, though. A small crack in his armour.

Taking one more step forward put Tony in arm's reach, and Steve took advantage of it, putting a hand on Tony's shoulder. That was a safe touch. He and Iron Man had done that more times than he could count. He and _Tony_ never had, but that didn't matter.

Steve could feel the tension in Tony through his grip, but he didn't let it change anything. "That we've been idiots."

Caught off-guard, Tony blinked. "What?"

Steve gave him a wry expression. "You know, I've been falling ever since the team pulled me out of the ice," he answered. "Just so happened that it was Iron Man who caught me. More than just literally."

"What?"

Now Tony was just being dense. "Come here, Shellhead," he demanded, and pulled.

Tony allowed it, letting Steve pull him in until they were chest-to-chest. It really was nice that they were almost of a height, he reflected. "If you have objections," he told Tony, "now's the time."

"Objections?"

Steve huffed, amused. Apparently he'd surprised Tony enough to properly have the upper hand. Pulling sharply on Tony's shoulder got him a startled yelp and Tony's hands on his shoulders. It also put Tony at just the right angle. Winding his free hand around Tony's waist to hold him there, Steve caught his eyes. "I'll ask you again: yes or no?"

"Are you kidding?" Tony's hands fisted in his shirt and Steve found himself pulled in, this time.

He went with it, happily, accepting the kiss and snickering when Tony's facial hair pricked at his skin.

It was nice.


End file.
